Peach pitting apparatus



Feb. 5, 1952 Filed March 5, 1947 L. W. WATERS e Sheets-Sheet 1 7 1g 125 i E E0: 13$ 124 l I a 155 15 1 I i I '13 24 E i i '1 a?) 12 23 J33 136 I 1 v o 134 136 o 29 :7

I JNVENTOR.

WWW

/%z%; fjvwwfl V A T roe/vex Feb. 5, 1952 w. WATERS 2,584,519

PEACH FITTING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Feb. 5, 1952 w. WATERS PEACH FITTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 1 ZI////////////////////// Filed March 5, 1947 uW zzzzzzwm INVENTOR.

yaflbwflgmm ,4-rra2A/EY.

Feb. 5, 1952 I w, WATERS 2,584,519

PEACH FITTING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1947 6 Sheets$heet 5 IN VEN TOR.

Feb. 5, 1952 w, WATERS 2,584,519

PEACH FITTING APPARATUS F'iled March 5, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 2 I pf 13.

IN VEN TOR.

WW I

y w ww HTTOBNEV Patented Feb. 5, 1952 2,584,519 PEACH PITTIN G APPARATUS Laurence W. Waters, Ontario, Calif., assignor to,

Atlas Imperial Diesel Engine 00., Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,391

Claims.

This invention relates generally to peach pitting machinery adapted for use in cannery operations for halving and separating peaches from their pits prior to canning and cooking the fruit.

More particularly, this invention relates to peach pitting apparatus of the type hereinabove referred to whereinthe halving of the peach and the separating of the pit therefrom is accomplished by means of a pair of flexible severing wires under tension which are guidedly drawn through a peach on each side of and immediately adjacent to the pit of the peach, thus halving the fruit and separating the pit therefrom.

It should be noted that while the apparatus of this invention is primarily intended for use in halving and pitting peaches of the clingstone variety, it may also be used for halving and pitting various other types of drupaceous fruit, whether clingstone or freestone. 7

Prior art peach pitting apparatus of the flexible wire severing type have numerous disadvantages. Among these is the fact that multitudinous moving parts are employed in such prior art constructions and virtually all of said moving partsv are so positioned relative to the peach pitting zone or the severing zone that fruit acid, pulp, and the like, tend to accumulate on and between said moving parts, thus rapidly leading to clogging oi the moving parts and to corrosion. Such constructions require very frequent cleansing with live steam or other suitable cleansing agents in order to keep them in a condition capable of operation. Since a peach canning season is of but a few months duration, it is essential that the peach pitting machinery be as foolproof as possible so that no unnecessary shut-downs will occur.

Another major disadvantage of such prior art constructions is the fact that the peach must be manually placed in position with respect to the fruit-holding assembly in an extremely awkward and dangerous position for the operator, since the peach and the operators hand must be placed in alignment with an in the path of movement of the severing means in the severing zone. This awkward loading operation slows down the speed at which the operator may pit peaches and furthermore is dangerous to the operator, since a finger or other portion of the hand or arm may be caught in the moving parts of the machinery.

The peach pitter of this invention avoids the hereinbefore-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art constructions. The peach pitter of this invention is of vertical construction and the 2 peach pitting or severing zone and are not subjected to fruit'pulp, acid, or the like and therefore do not tend to become clogged during operation. Corrosion is also minimized. The apparatus of this invention is of relatively open, accessible construction, making it possible to hose down, steam clean, or otherwise clean the entire apparatus very rapidly and simply. Generally speaking, the apparatus of this invention comprises a fruit holder movable between a fruitloading zone and a severing zone and vertically reciprocable, flexing wire severing means ccoperable with the fruit holder and arranged to move into and out of the severing zone for pitting the peach. The oscillating fruit holding assembly moves from an accessible fruit-loading position in a fruit loading zone, where the operator may very readily insert a peach therein, to a severing position in a fruit severing zone aligned with the flexible wire severing means. The before-mentioned loading position is completely out of alignment with and out of the path of movement of the other moving parts of the apparatus. Therefore there is no danger to the operator during the fruit-loading operation. Furthermore, such fruit-loading operation may be speeded up by reason of the accessibility of the fruit-holding assembly. loading operation, the fruit-holding assembly moves into a severing zone in alignment with the severing means where flexible severing wires under tension are passed through the peach closely adjacent to and on each side of the pit, thus pitting the peach This is an exceedingly desirable mode of operation, since it both protects the operator from damage and speeds up the fruit pitting operation. 1

With the above points in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved vertical peach pitting apparatus of the type wherein the pitting is done by a pair of flexible severing wires under tension and where the majority of moving parts are positioned away from the peach pitting zone for minimizing clogging and corrosion of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved vertical peach pitting apparatus including a movable fruit-holding assembly adapted to move between a fruit-loading position and a fruit-severing position in alignment with the severing means.

It is a furtder object of this invention to provide anew and improved peach pitting apparatus of majority of moving parts are positioned above the on relatively simple, rugged, foolproof, open, acces- Subsequent to the fruit-- sible construction, whereby the apparatus may be readily cleaned and maintained so.

Other and allied objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a careful examination and perusal of the illustration, specification and appended claims. To facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevational view of one embodiment of this invention with the driving means which may include reduction gearing and the like, not shown.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along III--III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along IVIV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevational sectional view showing the apparatus just prior to the severing stroke.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along VI--VI of Fig. 5 illustrating the pit-locating means of this invention.

Fig. 7 is a view of the peach presser plate and actuating cam utilized in the apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 8 is a view of an alternate fruit holding assembly.

Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is. a skeletonized diagrammatic view of another alternate fruit holder and severing wire guide assembly.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified flexible wire take-up.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the modified take-up shown in Fig. 11 taken along line XII-XII of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along XIII-XIII of Fig. 12.

The structure of this apparatus will first be described generally. A more specific description will follow'later.

A base, indicated generally at I, has vertically mounted thereon a frame, indicated generally at 2, and a fruit holder or incisor assembly, generally indicated at 3, pivotally mounted at the bottom of the frame adjacent the junction of the frame 2 and the base I. Vertically reciprocably mounted with respect to the frame 2 is a movable carriage indicated generally at 5. Said carriage isprovided with two pairs of pivotally mounted lever arms 5 and 6 which carry a pair of flexible severing wires I adapted to be vertically reciprocated into the peach severing zone. A pit-loeating. assembly, indicated generally at 8 is vertically' reciprocably mounted with respect to. the frame 2. Wire feeding means, indicated generally at Ill, is adapted to feed a predetermined amount of severing wire during each operating cycle through snubbing means, indicated generally at II, to the severing zone between the ends. of the levers 5' and 6. Wire take-up means, indicated generally at I2, is adapted to take up the flexible severing wires I in an amount determined by the tension of the severing wires and in response to upward movement thereof. The carriage 4 is operatively connected by a lever I3 and connecting arm 9 to an eccentric I4 adapted to be driven by a one-revolution clutch indicated generally at I 5 which, in turn, may be driven by reduction gearing and motor (not shown). The vertically reciprocable pit-locating assembly indicated generally at 8, is operatively connected to a lever I6 which is provided with a cam follower l7 adapted to fit into a cam track I8 of a cam indicated generally at I9 which is also driven by the one-revolution clutch I5. The exterior of the cam IS has a cam surface 29 which cooperates with a cam follower 2I for pivotally moving the fruit holding or incisor assembly 3 by means of a linkage 22, between the loading position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, into the: severing position shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of the device may be described generally as follows. A peach is manually impaled in the fruit holding or incisor assembly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, with the stem end of the peach up, tip of the peach down, and the suture or seam of the peach parallel to the plane of the incisor assembly. Safety handle 23 is then manually released so that a controlling handle 24 maybe actuated. This causes the engagement of the one-revolution clutch I5 and causes same to drive the eccentric Id and cam I9 simultaneously through one revolution in a clockwise direction. The first result of the simultaneous revolution of the eccentric I4 and the cam I9 is the movement of the fruit holding or incisor assembly 3 by means of the cam follower 2| engaging the cam surface 26 through the linkage 22 into the vertical fruit-severing position in alignment with the severing means, best shown in Fig. 5. Next in the sequence of operations, the carriage 4 is caused to move upward slightly by means of the lever I3, connecting rod 9, and eccentric I4. This causes the severing wire feeding means, indicated generally at ID, to 1'0- tate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, and advances a predetermined amount of wire toward the severing zone. The exact manner in which this operation takes place will be described more particularly hereinafter.

Immediately thereafter, the wire snubbing means indicated generally at I I, which up to this time have been tightly in contact with the severing. wires, are released from such contact. The exact way in which this occurs will be described more particularly hereinafter. This allows the opposite ends of, the severing wires to be taken up by the take-up means indicated generally at I2 provided that the tension in said wires. is less than a predetermined value. Means used in thisoperation will be described more fully hereinafter.

Next in the sequence of operations, the pitlocating assembly, indicated generally at 8, is moved downwardly by the lever I8 and cam follower I'lwhich is engaged in the cam track I8. Next the eccentric I l, through connecting arm 9 and lever arm I3, starts to move the carriage 4 downwardly. The pit-locating assembly 8 moves downward more rapidly than the carriage 4 and. passes between the spaced, parallel flexible severing wires. I. which are fairly widely separated from each other at this time. The pitlocating, assembly 3 then continues on down until it engages the stem end of the peach firmly. The pit of the peach is thus located between the pitlocating assembly at the top and the bottom of the fruit holding or incisor assembly 3. At this time the downward movement of the carriage 4, carrying the lever arms 5 and 6 and severing wires I, speeds up and the flexible severing wires cooperate with the incisor assembly 3 and are guided through the fleshy portion of the peach on each side of and in close relation to the pit of the peach. At the conclusion of the downward movement of the carriage 4, the flexible severing wires 1 have passed completely through the peach.

Next in the sequence of operations, the eccentric I4 causes the carriage 4and the arms 5 and 3 and flexible severin wires 1 to be rapidly moved upward back through the incisor assembly 3 toward the position shown in Fig. 1. During the passage of said severing wires back through the incisor assembly 3, the pit of the peach is ejected from the severing zone by means of the flexible severing wires 1. Next in the sequence of operations, the pit-locating assembly 8 is caused to move upward to its forward position by the cam follower I1 and cam track I8 of the cam I9. The cam follower 2| on the outer cam surface 23 of the cam I9 through linkage 22 causes the incisor assembly 3 to move back to its former angular fruit-loading position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. It should be noted that in the example shown, a fruit presser plate 25 provided with a cam surface 26 is pivotally mounted on the base I and is spring-biased so that it will engage one surface of a peach held in the incisor assembly 3 when the incisor assembly 3 is in vertical severing position. The cam surface 25 cooperating with a roller I22 on the incisor assembly 3 will cause the pressure plate 25 to be forced away from the incisor assembly 3 when said incisor assembly is moved back to fruit-loadin position.

The structure will now be described more specifically.

Framework Mounted upon the base I are two, spaced, upstanding portions 21 and 28. Horizontally passing through bearings 29 and 33 in the lower portion of the two upstanding portions 21 and 28 is shaft or pivot 3I. Mounted upon the shaft or pivot 3! in the center thereof and between the two upstanding portions Zl and 28 of the base I is the fruit holding or incisor assembly 3, the structure of which will be described more particularly hereinafter.

Fixedly attached to the upstanding portions 21 and 28 of the base I by suitable fastening means, such as bolts or the like, is the frame,

indicated generally at 2. The frame 2 comprises upstanding, spaced standards 32 and 33. Attached to standards 32 and 33 are two, spaced, parallel, transverse, upper cross bars 34 and 35 and two, spaced, parallel, lower cross bars 36 and 31. Vertically mounted between the front ends of the upper parallel cross bars 34- and 35 is the upper end of a cam or cam track 38, the lower end of which is mounted between the front ends of the lower spaced parallel cross bars 36 and 31. Similarly, a cam or cam track 39 is mounted between opposite or rear ends of the crossbars 34, 35 and 3E, 31 on the opposite side or rear of the apparatus. The cams or cam tracks 33 and 39 are bowed slightly inwardly. Mounted upon the top of the standard 33 is a downwardly directed pawl or finger 4a with a curved tip 4! on the lower end thereof, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Mounted upon the opposite side and on top of the frame 2 are downwardly directed screw means 42, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Mounted on the standards 32 and 33 on the outsides thereof and adjacent the middle thereof, as viewed in Fig. 1, are cam elements 43, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. The standards 32 and 33 are provided with vertical channels down the center thereof in which the movable carriage 4 stroke of the pit-locating assembly 8.

is adapted to be slidably mounted and in the back channel of which is adapted to be slidably mounted, a driving connection between the pitlocating assembly 8 and the lever I6.

Pit-locating assembly The pit locating assembly, indicated generally at 8, comprises a vertically disposed rod 44, (best shown in Fig. 6) the lower end of which has a hollow recess extending-upwardly thereinto from the bottom thereof. Adjacent the lower end of the rod 44 a vertical slot 49 is provided in one side thereof which extends into the hollow recess 45 therein. A prong-holding element 46 is mounted upon and around the lower end of the rod 44. Said prong-holding element 46 holds the ends of two inwardly curved prongs 41 and 48. A prong-guiding element, indicated generally at 50, is provided with a longitudinal, cylindrical, upper extension 5I adapted to be inserted into the cylindrical recess 45 in the lower end of the rod 44 and to abut the lower end of a coil compression spring 52 mounted in said cylindrical recess 45. A stop "pin 53 extends laterally from the upward extension 5! through the slot 49 in the side of the hollow rod 44. This stop pin acts to limit the travel of the prong-guiding element with respect to the rod 44. The lower end of the prong-guiding end of the prong-guiding element 50 is provided with a fluted head 54 provided with aperture 55 adjacent the lower end thereof through which the forward free ends of the prongs 41 and 48 are adapted to be inserted in crossed relation, as best shown in Fig. 6. The fluted head 54 of the prong-guiding element 50 is provided with a pit-engaging tip 56 at the lower end thereof adapted to be placed in to forcible engagement with a pit during the downward During such downward movement of the pit locating assembly 8 the spring 52 causes the prong-guiding element 50 to be in extended relation to the rod 44 with the prongs 41 and 48 in their most retracted position. When the pit-engaging tip 56 of the fluted head 54 is placed in contact with the end of the pit, the opposite end of which is firmly seated in the fruit-holding assembly 3, the entire prong-guiding element 50 is forced upward with respect to the rod 44 against the action of the spring 52. This causes the ends of the prongs 41 and 48 to be extended with relation to the pit-engaging tip 56 of the fluted head 54 and to engage and locate each side of the pit adjacent the stem end thereof.

The upper end of the rod 44 is connected to a rearwardly extending linkage 51 which in turn- Vertically movable carriage The vertical carriage, indicated generally at 4, is slidably mounted with respect to the frame 2, by means of spaced, vertically aligned projecting elements BI and 62 at the top and bottom respectively of the righthand side of the movable carriage 4 which extend into the vertical channel 63 running down the center of the standard 32, and by means of oppositely disposed similarly vertically aligned spaced projections 64 and 65 extending respectively from the top and bottom of the lefthand side of the carriage 4 into the vertical channel 59 running down the center of the standard 33. Thus the entire carriage 4 may be vertically reciprocated up and down with respect to the standards 32 and 33 along the channels 53 and 59 therein.

The carriage 4 is provided with two spaced, aligned bearings 66 and 6! at the top and bottom, respectively, thereof, which are adapted to surround the rod 44 of the pit-locating assembly 8 so as to allow independent, vertical, reciprocating movement between the carriage 4 and the pitlocating assembly 8. Pivotally mounted on the rear of the carriage on each side thereof are two tension-controlling lever arms 58 and 69 which carry the take-up means indicated generally at 12 adjacent the outer free ends thereof. The structure and operation of the takeup means I2 will be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 1, tension springs iii are connected to the lever arms 68 and 59 at points spaced from the outer free ends thereof, the other ends of the springs f being connected to pins H mounted on the carriage 4 on each side of and adjacent the top thereof. The purpose of, springs m is to control the tension on the severing wires 7 during the upward stroke of the carriage 4. Coil compression springs 12 are also operatively connected to the tension arms 68 and 69. The purpose of the coil compression springs 12 is to control the tension of the severing wires during the downward severing stroke of the carriage 4 and severing wires '1 so that if the severing wires 1' are being forced through an unusually hard peach or should happen to engage a portion of the pit, the wires I will not break but the coil compression springs 12 will be compressed slightly, thus preventing the tension of the severing wires 1 from being increased unduly to the point of breaking same.

Lever arms 5 and 5 each include a left leg and right leg l3, M respectively. The lever arms 5 and 5 are pivotally mounted at l! and 58 on each side of the lower corner of the movable carriage 4. The upper extensions of the lever arms 5 and 6 are provided with cam followers 19 and 8% which are adapted to engage and follow the inner surfaces of the cams or cam tracks 38 and 39 respectively mounted on the frame 2. The lower ends of the legs 13, M are provided with inwardly directed spring elements 8!, 82 respectively. The springs on each of the opposed legs, such as springs 81 and 82 on opposed legs 13 and M, are adapted to engage a cylindrical roller or pin 85 mounted on cross bars 35 positioned across the front and back of the standards 32 and 33 just above the severing zone. Thus, when the movable carriage 4 is in its upper position, as shown in Fig. 3, the rollers 85 acting against the opposed springs 8|, 82 spread the opposed legs 13, Hi apart. Thus a sufficient opening is provided to allow the pit-locating assembly 8 to pass between the flexible severing wires 7. This is true both of the up stroke and down stroke. Positioned between each of the springs 81, 82 and the ends of the legs 13, M opposed thereto are rotatably mounted sheaves 81, 83 adapted to carry the spaced parallel flexible severing wires 1.

Positioned between the main body of the moving carriage 4 and the, upper ends of the lever arms 5 and 5 are 0 springs 9|. which bias the.

upper ends of thelevers 5 and 3' outwardly about the pivot points 1! and [8, thus causing the lower ends of the arms 5 and 6 to tend to move toward each other when free to do so. This occurs during the downward severing stroke of the movable carriage 4 and lever arms 5 and 6 carried thereby when the cam followers 19 and 89 on the upper ends of the lever arms 5 and 5 move downwardly sufficiently along the cam tracks 38 and 39 to pass the point where said cam tracks 38 and 39 bend outwardly. Any further downward movement allows the C springs 9| to force the upper ends of the lever arms 5 and 6 outwardly about the pivot points I? and 73, thus causing the lower ends of the lever arms 5 and 5 and the sheaves 87, 88 carrying the flexible severing wires I to be forced inwardly toward each other, thus forming loops in the flexible severing wires I. This action takes place during passage of the flexible severing wires I through the peach and closely adjacent to and on each side of the pit thereof during the severing stroke. The vertically reciprocating movement of the carriage 4 is controlled as hereinbefore mentioned by means of the lever l3, connecting rod 9 and the driven eccentric M, the outer free end of the lever l3 being connected to a pivotally mounted rod 92 of fixed length which is connected to the base I.

Wire feed mechanism Referring to Fig. l mounted upon the movable carriage :l are the hereinbefore generally described wire feeding means If) and wire snubbing means H which will now be described in detail. Rotatably mounted, upon and on each side of the upper portion of the movable carriage 4 are two supply reels 93 and 94 adapted to have mounted thereon a supply of flexible severing wire. Operatively connected to the shaft which simultaneously rotates the reels 93 and 94 is a worm wheel 95. Positioned ina mounting bracket 95 adjacent to and in engagement with the teeth of the worm wheel 95 is a worm 9! which is operatively connected to and adapted to be driven by a ratchet 98 mounted on the outside of the bracket 96. A retaining pawl 99 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 95 adjacent to the ratchet 98 and is adapted to prevent backward rotation of the ratchet 98. When the entire movable carriage 1 moves upwardto the greatest height attained thereby, which is immediately after the operation of the device is manually initiated by the operator, the top 4| of the downwardly extending finger or pawl 40 afiixed to the top of the frame 2 rotates the ratchet 98 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. This rotates the attached worm 97 which also rotates the worm wheel 55 and feed-out reels 93 and 9 3 driven thereby a predetermined amount, thus paying out or feeding out a pre-determined amount of severingwire. The severing wires then pass over two spaced, parallel snubbers Hit mounted on each side of the upper portion of the carriage 4. Positioned adjacent to and held in spring-biased contact with the upper surface of the snubbers I08 are two small spring-biased rollers lfii adapted to. maintain the wire in contact with the periphery of the snubbers Hi9. Levers 102 which are pivotally mounted at the axis of each of the snubbers [B5 are provided with a rearwardly extending portion having pivotally mounted thereon pinch wheels I83. Said levers [=32 are provided with forward extensions adapted to abut and be pivotally moved by the downwardlyextending, screw type abutting means 22 which are mounted in the top of the frame 2 when the carriage 4 moves upwardly to thehighest position attained thereby, which is shortly after manual initiation of a pitting operation by the operator, or in other words, immediately subsequent to the actuation of the wire feeding means, indicated generally at II]. This actuation of. the levers I02 about their pivotal connection .at the .center of the snubbers 05! causes the pinch wheels I63, which have been heretoforespring-biased downwardly, into firm engagement with the exterior surface of the snubbers IIJI] by. meansof spring I04, to be moved away from the snubbersIIlIl, thus separating the pinch wheels I533 and the. snubbers I and allowing the severing wires .7 to be pulled therebetween toward the. severing. zone by reason of the tension in the wires. Immediately there? after, when the carriage 4 moves in adownward direction toward the severing zone, the forward ends of the levers I82 are no longer in engagement with the downwardly extending abutting means 42 and the springs Iti return the pinch wheels I93 into firm engagement, with the snubbers we, thus firmly locking the severing wires in position so that .tension may be applied thereto during the severing stroke of the pitting operation.

' Flexible severing wire take-up mechanism Pivotally mounted adjacent the ends of the movable lever arms 68 and 69 carried by the movable carriage i are two flexible severing wire take-up means indicated generally at I2. These comprise take-up reels I05 and I06 on the right and left side respectively of carriage 4 and are adapted to wind the severing wires 7 thereupon. Each of thetake-up mechanisms operates in exactly the same manner, so only the take-up mech-' anism shown on the right side of the carriage in Fig. 4 will be described, which includes the takeup reel I05. The take-up reel IE5 is pivotally mounted with respect to the lever arm 68. Attached thereto is a ratchet wheel IB'I. Also pivotally mounted with respect to the arm 68 at the same point as the take-up reel I05 and ratchet IIlI' is an actuating lever N8, the upper end of which isprovided with a pivotally mounted pawl I09 adapted to actuate the ratchet Illlin a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. Thelower end of the lever arm it is provided with a laterally extending cam follower I I0 adapted to make contact with the cam surface of the cam t3 during theupward stroke of the carriage '4. The lower end of lever arm IE8 is spring-biased toward the cam surface by a tension spring I9I. Anadditional pivotally mounted retaining pawl III is mounted upon the outer end of the lever arm' 58 for preventing the ratchet 'IIl'I from rotating backwardly. Both of the pawls I09 an d l II are spring'biased toward ratchet-engaging position, as is usual. i

The operation of this take-up is as follows. During the'upward stroke of the movable carriage 4', if the tension onthe flexible severing wires 1 is beyond a predetermined minimum value, the

coil tension springs ill will be somewhat extend;

ed and the lever arms 38 and 69 willbe pivoted about their pivotal connection point to the care riage I in a downward or 'counter-clockwise'di-' rection as viewed in Fig. 1. 'Thusthe' cams I IIJ will not come into contact with the cam'surfaces of the cam elements -l3fixed on the frame? and no rotation of the ratchet wheels and take-up magazines will occur. However, if the tensionof the severing wires I is below the predetermined minimum, the tension springs Iii will cause the g be described as follows.

tioned, after the peach is manually impaled by lever arms 68 and 69 to be positioned somewhat higher or more upwardly directed with respect to the movable carriage 4, and in this case the cams H0 will come into contact with the angularly directed cam surfaces of the cams 43 and cause rotation of the levers I08, ratchets and take-up reels, thus taking up the flexible severing wires.

Fruit holding or incisor assembly The incisor assembly 3, which is pivotally mounted on the horizontal shaft 3I rotatably mounted between standards 32 and 33 at the base thereof, comprises a central incisor blade II2 provided with a forwardly directed pit-receiving recess II3 therein. The edges of the incisor on each side of the recess II3 adjacent the forward end thereof are sharpened as indicated at I I4 for incising and impaling a peach. The rear portion of the recess H3 is provided with a small notch H5 at the bottom thereof, adapted to receive the tip of a pit therein. Mounted on each side of and in contact with the central incisor blade I'I2 are two guide plates III; which are forwardly recessed also. The forward portion of the guide plates II6 do not extend nearly as far forward as the central incisor blade II2 since they are intended to act as incisors. The recesses in the guide plates I I6 are curved in a roughly oval form spaced from the edge of the central incisor blade II2 forming the recess as indicated at H8. The forward ends of the guide plates H6 are provided with curved wire guiding tips II9 adapted to guide each of the flexible severing wires into positions on each side of the central incisor blade I I2 and between said central incisor blade H2 and the guide plates I I6 on each side thereof. Linkages I2Ii are mounted adjacent the outer edges of the central incisor blade Hz with the other ends thereof provided with inwardly directed springbiased elements I2I for forcing the ends of the guide plates III; on each side of the central incisorv blade II2 into spring-pressed contact therewith. Mounted adjacent the lower corner of one side of the central incisor blade H2 is the roller I22 adapted to cooperate with the cam 26 of the peach presser plate 25 for actuating said peach presser plate, as hereinbefore described. I

, The. operation of the incisor assembly 3 may As hereinbefore menthe operator on the sharpened edges N4 of the central incisor blade I I2 with the tip of the peach pointed down and the suture or seam thereof along the side aligned with the sharpened edges "thereof, then safety handle23. is actuated, followed by operating handle 24 which causes the entire incisor assembly 3 to be rotatably moved from the angularly directed, fruit-loading position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 into the fruit-severing positionshown in Fig. 5 by means of the cam follower 2I engaging the outer cam surface 20 of the driven cam I9 which through linkage 22 pivots the entire incisor assembly about the shaft 3I.

A Then the hereinbefore-mentioned slight upward movement of the carriage t occurs in response to rotation of the eccentric I4, which, as hereinbefore explained, causes the wire feed and snubbing mechanism indicated at Iil and II to feed or A advance the flexible severing wires 1 toward the 11- oi. the lever i6 and camfollower I! in the cam; track I 8 of thefdriven cam Is. The pit-locating center passes between the two parallel flexible severing wires which are relatively widely separated because the rollers 85 are in contact with the opposed springs iii, 82 on opposed legs. 73, i l of the lever arms and 6. The pit-locating center continues its downward travel until the pit-engaging tip 56 thereof comes into firm engagement with the upper or stem end of the pit of the peach, while the lower end or tip thereof is firmly rested against the bottom of the recess H3 in the central incisor blade II2 with the tip of the pit fitted in the notch H5 in the bottom of said recess. Then, as hereinmentioned, spring-biased prong-guiding element St or the, pit-locating center 8 moves upward against the action of the coil compression spring 52', thus causing theprongs -I and 8. to be extended. and to locate and grip the pit of the peach on each side thereof. Then the movable carriage and lever arms 5 and 6 carrying theflexible severing wires "i movedown and out of engagement with the rollers 85', thus causing the severing wires 7 to approach eachother until the springs 35,82-on the arms I3, '54 of. the lever. arms 5. and ii. slidably engage the central incisor blade H2 onv each side. thereof. The. movable carriage 4. and the. lever-arms ii and 5 carryingthefiexible. severing wires I continue their downward. movement oneach side of the central incisor. blade and the. flexible severing wires i' come. intorcontact: with the curved guide tips H9 and are guided into positions hetweenthe lateral. guide, plates. 2 1.6 and the cen-- tral. incisor blade H2. on each-sidethereof. The flexible severing wires. at this time. are on each side of .the fluted. head ML of. the pit-locating assembly 8 andare guided along. the prongs ii and ill thereof on each side of the pit engaged therebetween as they start to pass through the peach. The edges of. the lateral guide plates.

HG hold the flexible severing wires I close together adjacent the edges of the pit. At this time. the lower endsof theilever arms E and 5 are pivotedinwardly. by reasonof the: cam followers l9 and that the upper ends thereof moving outwardalong the lower. portionsof the cam tracks 3'8iand. 39., Thus a backwardly directed loop is formed in each of. the flexible severing wireswhich are spaced from each other. allows the flexible severing wires to passthrough the peach on each side of the. pit therein and closely adjacent thereto and yet have sufiicient,

freedom as not to end to tear of. the minute projections .on the sides of the pit. This results in a very clean, close severing of the halves of the peach closely adjacent to the pit.

During the period just described, the peach presser plate 25 has been firmly holding one half of the severed peach, the other half thereof being allowed to fall down below the machine on to a conveyor belt or the like. During the upward stroke of the movable carriage i, as the flexible severing wires I are passed back through the incisor assembly 3 in the same path they followed on the downward stroke, they engage the pit of the. peach and eject same from themachine. rotated about its driving connection back to fruit-loading position which also acts to disengage te peach presser plate 25 from the peach, thus allowing the remaining half of the peach to fall down below the machine on to the moving conveyor belt or the like.

This

Next the entire incisor assembly 3 is 12. Drive The. interlocking drive comprises a driven shaft I23 which may be connected to a reduction gearing, not shown, driven in turnv by a suitable motor,.such as an electric motor or thelike, also not shown. Attached to the shaft I23 is a. clutch; driving element I24 provided with anotched periphery I25; Spaced immediately adjacent to and concentric with the driving clutch element I25, is a rotatable plate iiii comprising the driven clutch element upon which a pawl I2? is pivotally mounted at I28. The upper end of the pawl is provided with a tension spring I29 amxed. thereto and connected to the plate I2 and adapted to spring bias the pawl inclockwise. direction, as. viewedin Fig. 1, so as to maintain a. tooth I3 on, the inner surface or the pawl in engagement. with the notched periphery -01 the driving clutch element 424: Adjacent the. pivot point I28 of the pawl I2? is a projection I3I which is adapted to be engaged by pivotally mounted latch lever I32 connected by theconnecting rod I33 to spring-biased actuating. handle. 2 L. Mounted upon the plate I28 is a radially projecting pin I34 which is adjacent the lower end of the pawl I2? and is adapted to be contacted thereby whenthe pawl I2? is rotated about its pivot point I28 in a counter-clockwise direction against actionof the tension spring 29 when the tooth I3Ii -is disengaged from the notched periphery I25, oi the;

driving clutch element I24. Concentricv Withthev pivotal mounting I28 of the pawl I2? is a laterally projecting pin, the purpose. of. which will be explained hereinafter. Mountedclosely. ads jacent the rotatable, driven clutch element I26 and to the front thereof, as viewed, in Fig, 1, is.

an upwardly directed fiat-topped pin or bolt I35 which is. pivotally mounted adjacent the; lower end thereof and which is spring-biased and retained. in a virtually upright. position by means of tension spring. I353.

The operation of the clutch may be described element I26 are in engagement. and positive power transmission takes place for one revolution. When the pawl I21 through one complete clockwise revolution and the transversely extending pin I 28 abuts the side.

of the upwardly extending support pin, I35, said support pini35 isdefiected against the action of the tension spring I 36.4;0 allow the transversely extending pin I28 to pass thereby. At thesame time the projection I3I comes into contact With the latch lever I32 which has beenreturnedto.

its original position since the operator releases. the actuating handle. subsequent to initiation.

This causes the pawl I21 to pivot about the pivot point I28 against the action of the tension spring I29 so as. to disengage the tooth I30 from the notched periphery l25 of the driving clutch. element I24. Thus the driving clutch element I24 and the driven clutch element I26v are dis.- engaged and the lower end of the pawl I21 has come into contact withthe, transversely extend.-.

Thus the. driving clutch element I24 and the driven clutch.

has been rotated.

ing stop pin I34 of the driven clutch element I26, with the transversely extending pin I28 extending from the pawl I2I resting on the top end of the spring-biased supporting pin I35. The apparatus is maintained in this position until the operator manually depresses the operating handle 24 again, at which time the entire cycle of operations just described is again repeated. The driven clutch element I29 is connected to and drives the eccentric I4 and cam I9; The eccentric I4 is provided with a ring I3! slidably mounted therearound constituting the driving connection to the connecting rod 9.

A modified form of fruit holder or incisor is illustrated diagrammatically 'in broken-away form in Figs. 8 and 9. This modified incisor is very similar to the previously described incisor. However, in this incisor the central incisor blade comprises two separated portions I38 and I39 which correspond to the previously described single incisor blade H2. These portions I33 and I39 of the central incisor blade, indicated gen: erally at 2', are separated right down the center of the recess II3 as indicated at I49 and are an extension of the notch II5 similar to the notch H5 in the first form of incisor, this being adapted to receive the tip or a pit mounted in the recess I13. The two lateral portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade II2' are pivotally mounted on the shaft 3I in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described. The two portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade II2 are normally spring-biased outwardly with respect to each other against stops IEI and I32 into a relatively open position shown in dashed lines by means of springs MI which are connected by means of posts I42 to the portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade II2 adjacent their upper, outer ends, the other ends of said springs being attached to posts I43 operatively fixed to the lateral guide plates H6. It should be noted that the linkages I29 carrying spring-biased elements I2I adapted to force the upper ends of the lateral guide plates II6' into close contact with the central incisor blade H2 are mounted upon posts I44 which do not extend clear through the incisor assembly. This is so that the portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade I I2 freely rotate about pivot points I59 and IE9 with respect to each other and with respect to the guide plates M3 on each side thereof.

The operation of this incisor is very similar to that hereinbefore described, the peach being manually impaled in the same manner upon the central incisor blade when in the position shown in dashed lines. When the pit-locating assembly fi descends and force is applied to the upper end of the pit, the lower end thereof en-.

gages the portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade H2 in the lower end of the recess II3, thus causing the portions I39 and I39 to rotate toward each other against the action of the springs I4I. This causes the opposed edges of the portions I38 and I39 of the central incisor blade I I2 adjacent the bottom of the recess H3".

to come together along each edge of the pit therein and to grip same firmly along the edges. Thus a positive engagement of the pit occurs. This incisor assembly has the further advantage of compensating for'pits of varioussizes.

Fig. 10 illustrates diagrammatically another modified fruit holder arrangement. In this Ver sion, a central incisor blade lizf isl provided with a forwardlydirected pit-receiving' reeess H3 having edge portions I I4" and a fruit pit tip-receiving notch H5" at the bottom thereof. This central incisor blade is similar to the first form of incisor assembly hereinbefore described. The lever arms 5' and 6 are carried by the movable carriage, not shown. The cam tracks 38 and 39 which are adapted to be carried by the frame and are shown broken away, are somewhat different from that shown in the first form of the invention. In the first place, the contour of the cam tracks 38' and 39 is slightly different as shown in the figure. The lower ends of the lever arms 5 and 6 are also different in that inwardly directed sharp-edged guides I45 are provided, the ends of said guides I45 having holes I43 therein. It should be noted that these guides I45 perform the same function as the stationary guide plates IIIi of the incisor assembly in the first form of this invention. During the downward stroke of the movable carriage carrying the lever arms 5' and 6, the flexible severing wires which pass through the apertures I46 in the sharp-edged guides I45 and the guides I45 all move through the severing stroke together closely adjacent to and on each side of the central incisor blade IIZ". The holes I46 in the sharpedgedguides I45 are caused to follow a roughly oval contour corresponding to the edges of the lateral guide plates H6 in the first form of this invention by means of cam followers I9 and 89' at their upper ends following the contours of the cam tracks 38 and 39. Thus the flexible severing wires are guided through the peach closely adjacent to the edges of the pit therein in a manner similar to the hereinbefore described severing operation. In the embodiment illustrated additional lever arms I4? provided with cam followers I48 at the upper ends thereof and grooved sheaves I49 at the lower ends thereof and pivotally mounted on the movable carriage are also shown. They are shown following straight line cam tracks I59. The purpose of this is to cause the flexible severing wires 1 to be maintained rigidly through their downward stroke. The flexible severing wires I are adapted to first pass over the grooved sheaves I49 and then through the holes I43 in the sharpened guides I45. When the apparatus operates in this manner, the hereinbefore described backwardly curved flexible loop is not formed in each of the severing wires I and a relatively straight line loop is formed on each side of the pit during the severing operation. The lever arms I41, cam followers I48 and grooved sheaves I49 may be dispensed with entirely, if it is desired that the upwardly directed flexible loop be formed in each of the flexible severing wires I during the severing stroke.

Modified form of take-up mechanism The modified form of flexible severing wire take-up mechanism, indicated generally at I2, is shown in fragmentary form in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. Fig. 11 is a side elevational view viewed in the same direction as the flexible severing wire take-up I2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 12 is a front elevational view of the modified take-up I2 viewed in the same direction as the first form of take-up mechanism I2 .in Fig. 3; and Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the actuating pawl of the takeup apparatus.

The modified form of flexible severing wire take-up mechanism shown in Figs. ll, 12 and 13 is quite similar to the first form of take-up mechanism hereinbefore illustrated and described.

15! Arm: 68. and arm 69 (n0t='sho\vn)- are pivotally mounted on-the movable carriage d? of the: first embodiment of the invention andznot'shcwrr here.

Two ratchet wheels are again pivotally motmted adjacent the outer'ends of the armsifiW and and positioned on each side. of the centralmovable carriage 4. InFigs. 11 and I2 only-leverarm 63 andratchet. wheel: I01 areshown, the leverarm 59 and associated take-up mechanismcarried thereby being deleted' for reasons of clarity; Mounted upon the outer end of the pivotally mounted lever: arm 68" isan inwardlyspring biased retaining'pawl HI similar to that shown in the first form of this invention. The'lever'arm 68" is: upwardly'spring-biasecl by means oftension spring. is and isalsoprovided with thecoil compression spring-l2 as in thefirst embodiment of this invention;

So far, the second embodimentof the takemp i2 hasbeen the same as the first-embodiment of this invention. However, the pawl for actuating the ratchet wheel I07 is diiierentin'the second embodiment of the invention. from thatshown previously. Mounted. upon the: frame 2' is a bracket H26 provided. with-a: lip E 27 to'the lip ld'iiby suitable boltimeans ifis' isa hex agonal member I49,- the opposite endioi said hexagonal member. Mil being provided with: a stud I551: upon which; is. pivotally mounted a; down wardly extending pawl IEI. tained. upon the. stud I5fl by a collar :52 andretainingpin. I53; A flat leaimember ifi lis posi ti'oned on top of the hexagonal. member Sada-and. retained thereon by: means of a pin 55. A spring loiased: element, indicated. generally at V I 5%., acts: to retain the flat leaf member iE- i in' firm,

springs-biased contactwith the. upper surface. of

the hexagonal member. MS. The upper end of the pawimember 5-1 is provided with two upwardly, extending projections: l5? and, 158; both adapted-tornormally make contact with the under surface of the flat'leaf member. ir'i l as best shown in Fig. 13.

The operation. oi. the. device may. be. described as follows: When the carriage moves upwardly. with respect tothe. downwardly extendingspawl 55, the tip thereof; engages the teeth of: the: ratchet wheel 1917. provided that the tension of the flexible severingwire islow enough to allow the lever armed to be: in; the positiomshownin; the drawings. This rotates.theratchetwheel in: a clockwise direction; as'viewedin Fig. 11.. retaining pawl Ill acts to. prevent the ratchet. Wheel [0? from reverse rotation. The. ratchet wheel 18? moves in an are about thepointofs pivotal attachmentof the lever. arm. 63' to. the carriage, thus making: it necessary that. tlieitip. of the. pawl ISI. be free for slight lateralmovement. This is accomplished by reason of the pawl 15! being pivoted on the stud I56 and normally spring-biased by means of the spring-biased means 456 pressed on the hat leaf-like member $55, into a vertical position. However, said pawl 15! may be deflected laterally againstthev action of the spring-biasing means 155 during ratchetengaging movement. Upon subsequent disen-- gagement of the pawl from the ratchet wheel Ill-1, said pawl returns to its normal springebiased vertical position. Flexible severing wiremagazine [05' is pivotally'mounted in alignment with and adapted to be driven by the ratchet wheel I01".

It is understood, of course, that, a. similar a1.- rangement controlstheother take-up. mechanism.

Connected- The pawl 551-. isre 2'.-

positioned: on the oppositeside of the movable carriage;

Numerous l modifications of thisinvention' arepossible and areintended to be comprehended The examples described and included herein. and'illustrated areexemplary only and-"are not intended to limit the scope of this invention,

whichis' to be interpreted in the lig t'of the ap-- wires supported thereby, a fruit'holding element adapted to impale a peach and supported by said framefor oscillatory; pivotal movement to' and away from said pitting station, means for reciprocating said Wire-supportingmeans, means for oscillating said fruit holding element and means for actuating said reciprocating and oscillating means in timed relationship to present animpaled fruit at said pitting stationfor pitting by' said. wires; said actuating meanscomprising'aeccentric members with said wire-supporting means and said fruit holding element, respectively:

2: Apparatus for pitting peaches'an'dthe like, comprising a frame, a wire-supporting element supported upon said frame for reciprocal movement to and from a fruit pitting. station, fruit pitting'wires supported thereby, a pit locating element" supported for reciprocal movement relatively to said wire-supporting element to and away fromi said pitting station, a fruit holding element adapted to'impale a peach and supported by said frame for. oscillatory, pivotal movement to and away from said pitting station, means for reciprocating said wire-supporting element, means for reciprocating. said pit locating element; means for oscillating said fruit holding element and means for actuating said reciprocating and oscillating means. in' timed relationship to pivot said fruit holding'element to said pitting station, then move said pit locating element, to said. station, then move said wire-supporting. means. to said station and then restore said elements to their rest positionsremoved from said station, said actuating means comprising a drive shaft, first, second and third eccentric members secured thereto and means interconnecting said. eccentric members with said wire-supporting, fruit. holding and pit locating elements, respectively;

3. Apparatus for pitting peaches and the like, comprising, a: frame, a wire-supporting element supported upon said frame for reciprocal move- -ment to and froma fruit. pitting station, fruit pitting wires. supported thereby,. a pit locating element supported for reciprocal movement rel-atively to said wire-supporting element to and away from. said pittin station, a. fruit holding elementadaptedtoimpale apeach and supported by said. frame for oscillatory, pivotal. movement, to and away from'saidpitting station, means for 1? tion, then move said wire-supporting means to said station and then restore said elements to their rest positions removed from said station, said actuating means comprising a drive shaft, an eccentric secured thereto, link and lever means interconnecting said eccentric to said wire supporting means, a cam secured to said shaft and having two cam tracks, and cam follower and link means for each of said fruit holding and pit locating elements interconnecting the same with one of said cam tracks.

4. A fruit holder and flexible severing wire adapted for use in a drupaceous fruit pitting machine of the type wherein flexible wires under tension are drawn through the fruit on each side of the pit for separating the fruit from the pit, comprising: a central incisor blade having two opposed pivotally mounted portions including a forward pit engaging recess therebetween; and two laterally-spaced, forwardly recessed guide plates mounted on each side of the central incisor blade for guiding the severing wires through a fruit closely adjacent to and on each side of the pit thereof for halving and severing the fruit from the pit, means for normally biasing the free ends of said opposed portions of the central incisor blade away from each other into open position, and means for forcing a pit against the walls of said recess to pivot the free ends of said blades inwardly to thus firmly hold the pit between opposed portions of the central incisor blades.

5. A fruit holder and flexible severing wire guide adapted for use in a drupaceous pitting machine of the type wherein flexible wires under tension are drawn throu h the fruit on each 1 8 side of the pit for separating the fruit from the pit, comprising: a central incisor blade, two laterally-spaced, forwardly-recessed guide plates mounted on each side of the central incisor blade for guiding the severing wires through a fruit closely adjacent to and on each side of the pit therefore for halving the fruit and severing the fruit from the pit, said central incisor blade having two opposed portions including a forward pitengaging recess and bein pivotally mounted with respect to each other and with respect to the guide plates, means for normally spring biasing the free ends of said opposed portions of the central incisor blade away from each other into r open position, means for forcing a pit into said pit-engaging recess, and means responsive to engagement of a pit with the walls of said recess to pivot said central incisor blade portions to thus firmly hold the pit between the opposed portions of the central incisor blades.

LAURENCE W. WATERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the P file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 1,334,162 Moltzner Mar. 16, 1920 1,432,282 Elliott Oct. 17, 1922 1,455,323 Cummins May 15, 1923 1,786,724 Wilcox Dec. 30, 1930 1,876,492 Frova Sept. 6, 1932 1,921,276 Wilcox Aug. 8, 1933 2,317,669 Chekian Apr. 27, 1943 

